zrodlo: http://www.digitaljournalist.org/iss.../westfall.html


"I have the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II. I have a job to shoot oil rigs in Calgary ... cold weather. Does anyone have any experience using digital SLRs in freezing and near 0 degrees?

[...]

As noted in the instruction books, the limit for guaranteed low temperature operation with any EOS digital camera is 0 degrees Celsius. However, a lot of people have been successful using our cameras in sub-freezing temperatures, as long as they observe the following precautions against condensation and poor battery performance. Here's some background info on cold weather operation:

SHUTTER LUBRICATION: Older cameras like the Canon F-1 had heavy-duty shutter mechanisms that required special modifications in lubrication for cold-weather use. Today's digital SLRs do not require any special lubrication, because their shutters use newer designs with high-performance, lightweight blades and smaller magnets. In terms of shutter performance, no special modifications are necessary for cold-weather use.

CONDENSATION: Even though EOS-1 class digital SLRs are well protected against moisture in the form of rain and snow, etc., they are vulnerable to severe internal damage from condensation, like all other digital cameras. That's the main reason why we recommend placing cameras, including but not limited to EOS Digital SLRs, in airtight plastic bags before bringing them from a cold environment to a significantly warmer one. This allows the condensation to form on the bag, thus protecting the equipment as much as possible.

BATTERY PERFORMANCE: Battery performance drops off as the temperature falls below freezing. Nickel metal hydride and lithium-ion battery packs are better than alkaline batteries in this situation, but even the lithium-ions will eventually stop working once they've chilled long enough. By now, at least one 3rd-party developer (Digital Camera Battery) has produced an external battery that can connect to the EOS-1 class digital SLRs through the supplied DC Coupler, but I don't expect Canon Inc. to either condone this or to make one of their own. In the meantime, the best strategy is to carry a few fully charged spare NP-E3 packs inside your coat, where they can be kept warm and exchanged for the cold batteries from time to time as necessary.

Memory cards are another potential weak link. Canon doesn't make its own, so it's best to check with the card manufacturers and other photographers to get a cold weather rating.

As with current film-based electronic cameras, items such as LCD data displays are the only means available to indicate camera settings such as shutter speeds, apertures, frame count, etc. Digital cameras add another type of LCD for use as a playback monitor. The information normally seen on these displays tends to disappear when temperatures drop below -20 degrees Celsius. LCDs usually start working again when the temperature goes above freezing, but that won't do you much good out in the cold.

Bottom line, it's certainly possible to use professional digital SLRs in freezing conditions, as long as they are handled correctly. The main issues are condensation and adequate battery power, but with a bit of advance planning these obstacles are not insurmountable.

However, there's not much that can be done with existing technology to ensure consistent digital camera performance in severely cold conditions for the reasons outlined above. You are welcome to try EOS digital SLRs in sub-freezing temps, but keep in mind that you're bound to run into some limitations eventually."


zrodlo: http://www.digitaljournalist.org/iss.../westfall.html

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